Cardiovascular Diseases and Social Determinants of Health: The Role of Early Diagnosis and Population-Based Screening Programs

Introduction. Despite advances in medical science and technology, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death worldwide. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the role of social determinants of health: education level, income, working conditions, access to healthcare, ethnicity, and housing conditions. WHO studies and large population-based cohorts (e.g., HAPIEE, ESSE-RF) show that individuals from socially vulnerable groups face a higher risk of developing hypertension, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Integrating medical and social strategies is key to reducing the burden of CVD and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals on health.

The aim of this article was to analyze the influence of social determinants on the prevalence and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of existing and prospective population-based screening models in terms of their accessibility, equity, and potential to reduce the burden of CVD in a context of social inequality.

Materials and methods. The study was conducted based on data from screening and medical examination programs in three regions of the Russian Federation – Moscow, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, and the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic – covering 42,360 adults aged 18-75 years for 2020-2023. Official statistics from the Ministry of Health, medical records, sociodemographic data, and the results of international cohort studies were used. CVD diagnostics were based on ESC, NCEP ATP III, and WHO standards. Descriptive and comparative statistics, regression analysis, and geographic information system (QGIS) analysis were used. The study is analytical in nature and aims to evaluate the effectiveness of screening, taking into account the social determinants of health.

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